SUGGESTIONS by a senior Brussels bureaucrat that Britain’s streets would be teeming with paedophiles fleeing from continental justice if David Cameron withdraws from the European Arrest Warrant scheme have been branded as “blatant scaremongering”

The PM indicated that he might repatriate some law and justice powers from Brussels

The Prime Minister indicated earlier this year that he might repatriate some law and justice powers from Brussels, including opting out of the arrest warrant, an initiative that allows EU countries to demand fugitives be arrested in other member states.

However, Viviane Reding, the vice president of the European Commission who is responsible for justice, said such a move would be "crazy".

She warned today: "Do you want criminals and paedophiles running around freely on the streets? Is that really in the United Kingdom's interest?”

Do you want criminals and paedophiles running around freely on the streets? Is that really in the United Kingdom's interest?

Viviane Reding

Ukip leader Nigel Farage said Mrs Reding was “scraping the barrel”, adding: “She is trying to scare the children with fairy tales and horror stories, but we are not children and she is no Sister Grimm.

She said: "Indulging back bench Euroscepticism ahead of the interests of the British people like this will make it easier for serious criminals to flee justice, and badly undermine the fight against international crime.

"Serious criminals should not be able to simply cross the channel to escape British justice.

“Nor do we want suspected criminals from the rest of Europe hiding here while it takes us ages to send them back.

"It seems as though Tory backbenchers hate the European arrest warrant simply because it has Europe in the title.”

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